sierra .224 60 grain hp varminter???

C

cowpoke

New member
Tried some loads today in my 223 with benchmark powder and the 60 grain sierra hp varminter buller.

Groups were very very good.

Has anyone used these? How do they work on coyotes?

Thanks

next step seems to be to load some again and see if repeatable and stretch out the distance to 200 and see what happens.
 
from my experience the 223 doesnt spit them out fast enough for good expansion. i had several go right through coyotes without putting them down quickly.
i chronographed mine right at 3000fps.
 
They are very accurate bullets that slip the wind real well for a flat base. the one coyote i shot was quarting towards me at about 100 yrds, bullet cliped the front part of shoulder and tore it up!!! there was still a quarter sized entrance hole with no exit.

shot my buck with same load this yr at about 225yrds, broad side right behind shoulder, lungs were toast, he made it about 35yrds then piled up. the jacket was recovered on inside of far shoulder. no lead was found.

these were out of a 22 250 loaded to 2.40 oal with ar comp. so far im very impressed with the performance. im worried i will get pass throughs on broadside coyotes but ill know more in a couple weeks when i get a chance to go calling.

the bullet was designed for 22 250 and 220 swift speed so im not sure how they will do at 223 speeds but i have thought about loading some up for mine and trying it out.

post your results if you wack any coyotes!
 
well, this does not sound positive for using them in the 223 for coyotes....

I guess I need to go back to the drawing board...
 
I used them for one season and my first box of bullets seemed to work well but after I worked into my second box I started getting runners and lots of pass-thru's(not sure what caused it) so I went to 52gr Berger's but I agree with the above statement try the 60gr Vmax if you are wanting a 60gr bullet.
 
Here is one recovered from a yote. Frontal shot with a .223 dont remember exact velocity.

0f82ff29.jpg
 
That looks like a perfect mushroom and great weight retention which is good if you are shooting hogs or deer but maybe not so great for a Varmint bullet that is supposed to be highly frangible and not exit. I would hazard to guess that would have been a pass-thru on a broadside lung shot but that is a guess based on my experience. Maybe with 1/7 twist barrel running pretty fast it may work great?
 
Wich would perform better on thicker bone like a shoulder blade?? Vmax or a soft point or hollow point?? Serious question. I had a runner on a bad shot one time with a shoulder hit and a v max
 
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I am here to tell you that a 60gr HP from sierra is coyote death out of my 223. I have shot several with them and I have never had a problem with them. I sent one into a song dog at 356yds (lasered) and it dropped it after one spin.

Most of the ones I have shot have been at the 100yd mark and under (I do a lot of night hunting)and at they do an outstanding job even at close ranges. I have also shot more than a few with these bullets at the 150/200yds mark. Again, no problems. NOT A FOX LOAD THOUGH!!! EEEEWWWWW!!

I am pushing these right around 3140/ 3150FPS.
 
Never shot a coyote with one but I've killed several deer with the 60gr sierra & it works great with them. It will deffiniatly out penetrate a vmax.

I've shot a few coyotes & several fox with the 60gr vmax out of a 20" AR (velocity right at 3K). I've had one splash at very close rangge wich still was a dead coyote (neck shot). Most shots have stayed inside the coyote with the 6ogr vmax (specially if shoulder was hit). Even stayed insde about half the fox I've shot...

I wouldn't be afraid to use either bullet.
 
I talked with Hornady last week about their 60 gr hp and 60 gr v-max. He said their 60 hp wasn't a good coyote bullet, but better for deer. He suggested to try their 53 gr v-max factory loads, that they were a much better round for coyotes, plus better BC. I bought some factory ammo, shoots better than my reloads, and did a good job on a coyote I killed Monday morning.
 
I had pass throughs at 3450 out of a 22/250, max load of IMR 4350 = deer bullet

Switch out to a 63g Sierra and you are in business!!!
 
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